The vote makes North Carolina the 30th state to adopt a ban on gay marriage. While North Carolina law already bans same-sex marriage, the amendment means civil unions and potentially other types of domestic partnerships will no longer be recognized legally by the state.

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More states will vote on gay marriage later this year. In November, Minnesota voters will cast ballots on a state constitutional amendment defining marriage as solely between one man and one woman. Washington state voters are also expected to consider a gay marriage ban while Maine in November will vote on whether to approve same-sex marriage.

The vote in the key swing state came after a tough couple days for the White House on the issue of gay marriage, which President Barack Obama hasn’t publicly favored. But Vice President Joe Biden and Education Secretary Arne Duncan both publicly endorsed marriage equality in recent days, making their boss look behind the curve in the gay community.

As expected, North Carolina voters overwhelmingly approved the state constitutional amendment 60 percent to 40 percent, with nearly half of precincts reporting.

“Your efforts send a message to the state of North Carolina and to the country that we will not allow marriage to be redefined in this state,” Tami Fitzgerald, chair of Vote for Marriage NC, told supporters gathered in Raleigh. “The nation is watching North Carolina, and we have given them a high standard to follow.”

Foes of the amendment suggested that its passage paves the way for unintended consequences for the state’s families.

North Carolina Rep. Brad Miller, a Democrat, said the constitutional amendment goes “well beyond” just establishing marriage as between one man and one woman.

“If you’re in a hospital, in your last illness and you’ve been with a partner for 30 years, if the law is that only certain family members may visit you — you can’t pick who your family members are,” Miller said in a live-streamed interview Tuesday night. “You can’t pick who your family is. The government has decided for you.”

Jen Jones, the communications director for Protect All NC Families — which opposed the amendment — told the Raleigh News & Observer that they had an “unprecedented coalition.”

“We were on TV as much as we wanted to be. We talked to everyone we could about unintended consequences,” she said.

An unusually high number of voters went to the polls early in North Carolina. According to state election officials, more than 500,000 voters cast their ballots ahead of Tuesday’s election, despite the lack of a competitive presidential primary. That’s more early voters than in 2008, when Obama and Hillary Clinton were locked in a fight for the Democratic nomination.

Opponents of the measure, though disappointed with their loss, cheered the high turnout and vowed to keep fighting.